Corporate Travel Spending to Grow in 2010from Purchasing Magazine
The National Business Travelers Association's new 2010 U.S. Business Travel Buyers' Cost Forecast shows that while air travel and car rental costs will essentially remain flat and hotel rates will decline next year, companies will travel more. What's more, survey results show that this growth will lead to an increase in travel spending. More

Stars of the Industry Awardsfrom CH&LA
Chip Conley, President of Joie de Vivre Hotels is set to receive a Special Recognition Award at the CH&LA Stars of the Industry Awards. Hotels that Help is a new CH&LA supported program that brings hoteliers, employees, guests and communities together by inviting their guests to contribute $1 per night to a local charity chosen and trusted by the hotel. All of the money raised helps people in the local community. This award recognizes the lodging property which had the highest percentage of guest participation in their Hotels that Help program. More

Destination 2010: Top Travel Trends to Watchfrom Breaking Travel News
In exploring the prospective impact on the tourism industry, "Scene Advisor" takes a look at the progression and salient characteristics of our travel industry, as well as current trends given the economic backdrop. In doing so, we draw some insight to the much debated question about the change of the industry post 2010. More

Experts Predict Tourism Industry Will Rebound Soonfrom The Daily Sound
After weathering a serious financial wallop during the steep economic recession of the past year, local hoteliers, restaurant operators and other tourist-centric business owners may have reason to rejoice after a panel of travel industry experts expressed optimism about the coming year. More

U.S. Travel Industry to Add 90,000 American Jobs in 2010from The U.S. Travel Association
The U.S. Travel Association announced that projected modest 2010 increases in leisure, business and international inbound travel will enable the industry to add nearly 90,000 American jobs. Leisure travel is expected to rise 2.0 percent, business travel is projected to increase by 2.5 percent and international inbound travel will increase by 3.0 percent. These job gains come on the heels of 400,000 combined travel industry job losses in 2008 and 2009. More

Hotels Find Keeping Travelers at Home Can Be Good Businessfrom The New York Times
"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em," may be the best maxim to explain why travel companies are getting into the virtual meeting business, actually helping clients avoid flying halfway around the globe. Two of the world's biggest hotel companies, Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Marriott International, are outfitting some of their meeting rooms with telepresence suites, a high-end system that leapfrogs typical videoconferencing technology. Their goal is to rent the rooms to customers who are already embracing virtual alternatives to travel, but do not have telepresence suites everywhere they would like to use them. More

Experts See Brighter Days Ahead for Santa Barbara County Tourism Industryfrom Noozhawk
As tourism-related businesses from all over Santa Barbara County gathered, panelists at the 2010 Tourism Outlook discussed the industry's recession recovery. Dan Mishell, research director for the California Travel and Tourism Commission, said the industry expects to reach 2007 levels by 2011. Most businesses took a hard hit this year but expect some growth next year. More